


To See Your Face Again

by flewintotheice



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: F/M, Song fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-19
Updated: 2013-02-19
Packaged: 2017-11-29 20:42:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/691243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flewintotheice/pseuds/flewintotheice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired in part by KLG Part 1 and 2 so expect spoilers. I’m assuming everyone has seen the entire first season by now. It is also<br/>inspired by a song from Savage Garden called “Again”. The words in italic are from the song. Everything else is AU seeing as how we have no idea when or how the Cylonian War will end. To bring you up to speed, this story takes place roughly four years after KLG part 2 and then three years after the end of the Cylonian War.</p>
<p>(Originally written in April 2005)</p>
            </blockquote>





	To See Your Face Again

I would like to visit you for awhile

/*Get away and out of this city*/

/*Maybe I shouldn’t have called */

/*But someone had to be first to break…*/

The phone in their house didn’t ring very often these days and so Kara  
was taken by surprise when the phone rang early one morning while she  
was still sitting in the kitchen, drinking coffee, having just returned  
from her morning walk. She slid off the kitchen chair and walked over to  
the counter, picking up the handset.

“Hello?”

“Kara?” Kara’s eyes widened in shock as a voice she hadn’t heard in  
almost two years came over the line.

“Lee…”

/(Three years earlier on board Galactica)/

Armistice Day. The Second Cylonian War was over and there was much cause  
for celebration. The Colonials had found the Cylon home world and had  
destroyed it after an almost four year war that had begun on their home  
world of Caprica. Now the remaining survivors were headed home to Kobol  
where the Colonials had begun settling almost three years ago. At the  
head of the fleet was the last remaining battlestar and the flag ship of  
the fleet, the Galactica, a little worse for wear but no less imposing  
as it had been for the last almost twenty or more years. At the helm of  
the Galactica were Commander Saul Tigh and the XO, Major Lee Adama.  
Captain Gaeda still manned the control boards along with Dee. They were  
finally going home. The doors to CIC opened and Lee smiled as his father  
came on deck.

“Admiral on deck!” Everyone came to attention and Admiral William Adama  
smiled at all of them.

“As you were. It is a great day for us all. We’ve come far in the last  
four years. We’ve fought the toughest battles of our times and while we  
have lost many friends and family, we have won the war and can finally  
settle into our home world once more.” There was applause as everyone on  
deck clapped and cheered. Commander Tigh approached the man who had been  
his friend for more years than he could now count. William Adama smiled  
at him.

“It’s a good day to go home,” Saul said, shaking William’s hand.

“Yes it is,” he answered. William turned to Lee and waved him over. Lee  
approached Saul and his father. “Let the CAG know that we’ll want to run  
a formation when we reach Kobol. We’ll want escorts for the civilian  
ships to land at the main base planet side.” Lee nodded.

“I’ll go look for her now.” Lee nodded to them both then turned and  
walked out of CIC. Saul turned to William.

“Have they planned the wedding yet?” William looked at him in surprise  
and Saul laughed. “Oh come on, Bill. Do you honestly think I didn’t see  
it happening? Four years in close quarters with those two? How could I  
not know?” William smiled and shook his head.

“No, no planning yet. I think Kara still feels like she’s somehow  
cheating on Zak by marrying his brother. I’ve talked to her about it, so  
has Lee. She has to be okay with it in her own time and on her own  
terms. Lee knows that. He’s a patient man. Hell, it’s been six years  
since Zak’s death. Kara knows no one blames her. No one really ever did.  
She just has to stop blaming herself.” Saul nodded thoughtfully.

“I never thought I’d say this, Bill, but I think these past four years,  
the war and everything else, have finally gotten her to grow up.”  
William gave his friend an incredulous look and Saul laughed. “I didn’t  
say I liked her, Bill, I just said I have a new found respect for  
Starbuck. Let’s leave it at that.”

Lee walked down the hallways of the Galactica, headed for the CAG’s  
office. He stopped outside the closed hatch and knocked loudly.

“Come in!” He opened the hatch to see Captain Kara Thrace sitting on the  
edge of her desk, clipboard in hand, and several locks of blond hair  
hanging in front of her face. She barely looked up at him, not really  
expecting him that morning. Lee closed the hatch and turned the handle  
to lock it then walked over to the desk. Kara barely had time to look up  
before Lee leaned down and kissed her. After a moment, he pulled back  
and they both smiled at each other. “Off duty already?” Lee shook his head.

“Not likely. Dad wanted me to come down here and let you know that he  
wants a Viper formation once we reach the planet and that he also wants  
escorts for the civilian ships when they land.” Kara nodded and made a  
few notes on the clipboard in her hand.

“All right. I can have Helo run the formation and I’ll put Crash and  
Racetrack in charge of escorts. I’ll check with Chief and find out how  
many Vipers are running and how many Raptors we have left. I’m fairly  
certain the Admiral will want a full inventory on what he’s got left on  
board.” Lee smirked and shook his head.

“That Admiral will be your father-in-law in a few months, Kara. Calling  
him Dad wouldn’t be such a bad step.” Kara smiled up at him and nodded  
slowly.

“I know, Lee. But I’ve been calling him Commander or Admiral for the  
last six years. Old habits are hard to break.” She set the clipboard  
down on the desk and Lee stepped closer, letting her wrap her arms  
around him and rest her head against his chest. “Did you tell him we’ve  
picked a date?” Lee shook his head.

“I figured we could tell him tonight at dinner. Hell, for that matter, I  
figured we could finally tell the whole frackin’ ship. I mean, the war’s  
over. We’re going home. You and I agreed that we’d both start teaching  
at the new Academy once that happened. We won’t be on a ship together  
and married officers have taught together for years.” Kara nodded then  
scooted back and looked up at him with a soft smile.

“You’ve been dying to tell everyone, haven’t you?” Lee nodded and she  
laughed quietly. “All right then. You can tell the whole frackin’ ship  
at dinner tonight. How’s that?” Lee nodded and leaned down to kiss her  
again softly. “Keep that up, flyboy, and you’re not getting back up to  
CIC anytime soon.” Lee chuckled against her mouth.

“Damn that’s tempting, but I know my place. I’ll see you in a couple of  
hours.” Kara nodded and Lee kissed her once more before walking out of  
her office, closing the hatch behind him. Kara let out a deep sigh as  
the door to her private quarters opened behind her.

“You all right?” Kara nodded and closed her eyes tightly. “He wants to  
announce the engagement tonight, huh?” The voice was closer and Kara  
opened her eyes to find her Deputy CAG, Captain Karl “Helo” Agathon,  
standing next to her.

“Yep,” she answered quietly. “He’s earned it, though. I’ve been putting  
it off for two years now. Besides, like he said, the war’s over. We’re  
going home. Might as well add another piece of good news to that,  
right?” Helo nodded and smiled. He and Kara had become better friends in  
the past four years and could fly with each other almost as well as Kara  
and Lee could. They could read each other’s movements and almost knew  
each other’s thoughts by heart. If Helo was a little bit in love with  
Kara, no one could blame him. He just made sure to keep that information  
to himself.

“Well, I need to go get my son from the Chief and start getting ready  
for tonight. I assume the President will be there?” Kara groaned and  
Helo chuckled.

“Yes, I’m sure he will be. Just the person I want around at the  
announcement of my marriage to Lee.” Helo knew Kara didn’t personally  
care of Gaius Baltar, but everyone had a great deal of respect for the  
man who had, single-handedly come to the rescue of the many children  
born to human and cylon heritage. While none of the Cylons had survived  
the births of their children, the human parents all seemed capable of  
caring for their children, all of whom showed no genetic traits of their  
Cylon parents. Baltar had become president at the death of Laura Rosilin  
three years ago. Elections would be held in another year, once everyone  
was settled on Kobol. Helo had no doubt Baltar would win a second term.

“Just be your normal self, Starbuck,” Helo joked. “How could he ever  
find anything wrong with that?” Kara laughed as Helo winked and walked  
out of her office. Kara picked up the clipboard and went back to  
scheduling the formations and escorts for the landing at Kobol.

Dinner that night turned out to be a very formal occasion. Within the  
next twelve hours, the Colonial Fleet would be back in orbit over Kobol.  
It was a cause for celebration but also a cause for remembrance. At the  
head table sat Admiral Adama, Commander Tigh, Major Adama, Captain  
Thrace, Captain Agathon, Captain Gaeda, President Baltar and Vice  
President Walters. Off to the left was a table filled with Viper pilots.  
On the right was the main staff of the deck crew along with Master Chief  
Tyrol who was sitting with his adopted son, Boxy, Helo’s son, Connor,  
and President Baltar’s daughter, Lillianna. The rest of the tables were  
made up of junior officers and NCO’s as well as the press and the  
civilian staff that worked for the President’s office.

About an hour into dinner, just before the music started up, Major Lee  
Adama stood and the room grew silent. In four years since the beginning  
of the war, Lee still wasn’t known as a man of many words so when he  
stood up to talk, the entire room took notice and immediately quieted  
down. Lee smiled.

“It is, indeed, a cause for celebration tonight as we make our way back  
to our new home world of Kobol. While this time man and gods won’t live  
together, we, the children of humanity, will be able to live in peace  
and prosperity once more.” There was a pause and the crowd applauded.  
“As the last remaining children of humanity, we will strive, in the days  
and years to come, to add to our ranks with children, family, and  
friends. As of this morning’s count, our population totals at  
fifty-three thousand, seven hundred and nineteen souls. Most of those,  
as we all know, are newborn children who are the greatest hope for our  
futures. Tradition tells us that, ends of wars often bring about  
marriage and children. So, in keeping with tradition, it is my honor and  
my privilege to share with all of you tonight an announcement that has  
been waiting almost two years to come to light.” There was some clapping  
and a couple of whistles from Chief Tyrol and Helo. Lee chuckled and  
reached out his hand to Kara who stood up next to him. “Captain Thrace  
has finally agreed to marry me and we have set a date for six months  
from today at the new Colonial Academy in Kobol City.” Applause and  
cheers erupted and to Lee’s right, Saul and his father both smiled and  
shook their heads. Lee hugged Kara and kissed her on the forehead then  
turned as his father stood to shake Lee’s hand and hug Kara as well.  
Saul stood and shook Lee’s hand then turned to Kara. For a brief moment  
they just stared at each other then Saul took that first step forward  
and drew Kara into an embrace. Kara, shocked beyond speech, just  
returned the hug then stepped back.

“It’s about time someone came along that could keep at least one of the  
Adama men in line,” Saul said jokingly. Kara’s smile was genuine then  
she laughed.

“Well, I figured you’ve done about all you can with the Admiral. It’s my  
turn to see if I can tame the Major.” The music started up and people  
moved onto the dance floor. Helo gave Kara a hug, shook Lee’s hand and  
moved away from the tables to where Chief Tyrol was standing with the  
children. President Baltar moved from his end of the table to where Lee  
and Kara were standing.

“Congratulations to you both. It’s been a long time in coming, hasn’t  
it?” The President sounded sincere and, after the last four years,  
neither Lee nor Kara wanted to read anything bad into his words. Lee  
held out his hand and Gaius shook it with a smile on his face.

“It has indeed, Mr. President. We both hope you will be able to attend  
the wedding.” Gaius smiled and turned to Kara, taking her hand in his,  
holding it just a brief moment.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he answered quietly. “Good luck to  
you both.” He smiled again then stepped away so that other well-wishers  
could approach the happy couple.

/(Three months later – Kobol City)/

Kara walked through the halls of the new Colonial Academy. It would open  
that fall, right after the Harvest celebration. They only had about  
seventeen students of age to begin Basic Flight. They had twenty-five  
that had begun Basic Flight during the war and would now move on to  
learning how to pilot Vipers. There weren’t many teachers left and so  
Kara and Lee were doing double duty, teaching a course of basic flight  
and a course on Raptor flight and Viper flight. Karl (Helo) would also  
take over a Basic Flight course and Chief Tyrol would be teaching about  
twenty new students how to run maintenance. The Colonial Fleet, what was  
left of her, would not be dismantled or decommissioned. They were pretty  
sure all the Cylons had been destroyed, but there was no telling if or  
when another threat might come their way from something or someone else.

It was three months before the wedding date and Kara was just heading  
back to the house she and Lee had picked out just after returning with  
Galactica. It was small, but they didn’t have plans on starting a family  
anytime soon. They spent enough time with Helo and his son, Connor,  
sometimes more time than Lee really liked, but Kara enjoyed being around  
the child. She had just walked into the house when Lee came out of the  
bedroom, dressed in his Colonial dress uniform. Kara frowned slightly.

“What’s going on?” Lee sighed heavily. He’d been dreading this; telling  
her that Gaius Baltar had called him two days ago after the Vice  
President had died. Baltar wanted Lee to meet with him and talk about  
the possibility of Lee becoming the Vice President.

“President Baltar called me two days ago, Kara, right after Walters  
died. I’m meeting with him in about an hour over at the Presidential  
offices in the city. I was going to tell you sooner, but…”

“You were afraid I’d be upset,” Kara finished quietly. Lee stepped  
forward and put his hands on her shoulders.

“I know we always said that politics and the military don’t mix, but,  
the only thing I’m doing for the military now is teaching. I can still  
do that and be part of the political party. It won’t change my way of  
teaching a student how to fly a plane.” Kara nodded slowly.

“I know,” she said quietly. “But what about Tom Zarek? You do realize,  
of course, that he plans to run against Baltar in three months, right?”  
Lee nodded.

“All the more reason for me to work with Baltar.” He checked his watch  
and shook his head. “Look, come into the city and have dinner with me  
tonight, okay? We can talk more about it then. And, if you have nothing  
planned for today, I know Dad would love to see you.” He leaned down and  
kissed Kara on the forehead then headed out the front door. Kara sighed  
softly. Somehow she knew this wasn’t going to turn out the way she’d  
always planned. She glanced at the calendar on the wall. Yes, she needed  
to go see William Adama. It was, after the all, the anniversary of Zak’s  
death.

William Adama was sitting on his back porch when the rain began to fall.  
It was about mid-day in Kobol City and the rain had been threatening to  
fall for about an hour or so now. He sat back in his chair and nodded to  
himself. It fit the day perfectly. He closed his eyes and might have  
gone to sleep if he hadn’t heard the buzzing at the door that announced  
someone was there to see him. William slowly came to his feet and moved  
towards the front door. He looked at the video screen to the left of the  
door and smiled softly. He should have known. He opened the door and  
sighed softly.

“Whaddya hear, Starbuck?” Kara smiled at him.

“Nothin’ but the rain, Sir.”

“Then grab your gun and bring in the cat.”

“Boom, boom, boom.” Kara smiled with him once more and stepped forward  
into his welcoming embrace. They stood that way for a few moments, the  
embrace meant to both comfort and give strength. Then they both stepped  
back and each had unshed tears in their eyes.

“Well, this is a welcome surprise. Not everyday my future  
daughter-in-law shows up unannounced. Shall I make us some lunch?” Kara  
entered the house and closed the door behind her with a chuckle.

“How about I make lunch and you sit and talk with me while I do so,  
hmm?” William Adama’s cooking skills were not legendary by any means and  
so he laughed and followed Kara into the small kitchen, taking a seat on  
the stool as she began rummaging through the pantry and refrigerator.

“So, how are you doing today?” Kara pulled out vegetables and salad  
makings and set them on the counter.

“Well, I’m here, I’m sober and I’m not in the brig, so it’s a good day,”  
she answered with a sad smile. Adama nodded and smiled as well.

“How are the plans coming?” Kara pulled out some uncooked chicken and  
set it near the stove, pulling out a large pan and putting it over the eye.

“Well, I’m thinking things are going to either get moved up or moved  
back.” Adama raised a brow slightly.

“Oh? Why is that?” Kara turned and began chopping up some parsley and  
garlic.

“Lee is meeting with President Baltar at this moment to discuss moving  
into the office of Vice President since Walters died.” Adama could hear  
the pain in her voice, a sense of pain she was trying so desperately to  
hide, but there was anger, too. “The next election is three months away,  
which is when the wedding was scheduled to take place as well.” She  
turned and dropped the garlic and parsley into the hot pain then took  
the chicken and began cutting it up as well. “I tried telling him that  
Tom Zarek is going to cause trouble again. I just know it, but you know  
Lee.”

“Yes, I know. He’s stubborn. Thinks he has to be the one to set things  
right all the time.” Kara nodded silently, then added the chicken to the  
pan and turned down the heat a little before turning and putting  
together the salad. Adama noticed that she wouldn’t raise her gaze to  
him and it worried him. “Kara, what’s going on in your mind?”

“The damn elections. Zarek tried to have Rosilin killed once before.  
What if he decides to take out Baltar or Lee? Gods above! Lee doesn’t  
even understand that fear. It’s like, it hasn’t even registered in his  
mind. It’s like he sees himself as Apollo, and that nothing can harm  
him.” Her hands were shaking and after watching her almost cut herself  
twice, Adama put his hand over hers and she set the knife down, bowing  
her head and blinking back the tears in her eyes. William sighed, stood  
up and came around the counter then hugged her tightly and let her cry.  
“I can’t lose him,” she cried softly. “I can’t…”

“I know, Kara. We’ll talk to him, okay? You and I. We’ll get him to  
understand.”

Kara had cried herself into exhaustion and so William had let her lie  
down in his room to sleep. He had called the Presidential offices and  
had spoken to Lee to let him know where Kara would be when he was  
finished with his meeting. Lee hadn’t seemed all that concerned and had  
promised to be there within the hour. Kara was still sleeping when Lee  
arrived at his father’s house. He walked in the front door and glanced  
around.

“Dad? Kara?” William appeared from a side room and shot a look of  
reproach at his son.

“Hush, Son. She’s asleep. Come out onto the porch with me and let’s  
talk.” Lee sighed softly but followed his father. He had a feeling he  
probably was not going to like whatever this little talk was about. Once  
out on the porch, Lee unbuttoned the dress jacket and slid it off,  
revealing just the white t-shirt beneath. He sat down in one of the  
closest chairs and looked over at his father.

“I take it she didn’t handle today that well. I’m glad she was here  
instead of alone.” William nodded slowly.

“Actually, it didn’t have anything to do with Zak. We didn’t even  
discuss Zak today, which is the first time in six years that’s  
happened.” Lee raised a brow slightly.

“Then, what happened?” William finally looked over at Lee and Lee saw  
the pain in the older man’s face.

“She is scared to death of losing you, Son. First she had to endure four  
years on Galactica wondering if every time you went into a Viper you  
were going to come back alive. Now you want her to sit back and watch  
you enter into politics and wonder if Tom Zarek’s going to take a shot  
at you.” Lee sat there for a minute, completely stunned.

“Tom Zarek won’t get that close to me, Dad. Look, I’ll talk to Kara.  
It’s all going to be fine. Baltar will do without a Vice President until  
the election in three months. I’ll run with him at that point. By then,  
we’ll have come up with a plan to watch out for Zarek. Don’t worry.  
Everything is going to be okay.” William Adama sighed heavily. He didn’t  
want to say it, but he knew he had to make Lee understand.

“Is being Vice President more important to you than a life with Kara,  
Son?” Lee almost looked angry for a moment then gave a short, bitter  
laugh and shook his head.

“You can not compare one to the other, Dad. That would be like asking  
you was the Galactica more important to you than our family. There’s no  
comparison, Dad. We were important to you, but so was Galactica. Two  
different lives. Two different loves.” William looked up past Lee and  
saw Kara standing in the doorway. “Kara is the love of my life, Dad,  
but, during this war, I learned to love politics as well. My life with  
Kara is personal, private. The politics will be something all together  
different. I’ll keep the two separate.”

“You won’t have to,” came the voice in the doorway. Lee jumped and  
turned to see Kara standing there. Lords of Kobol, he thought. He stood  
slowly and she held her hand up to him, stopping him. “I saw what such a  
life did to your mother, Lee Adama. I won’t live that way. I won’t be  
left behind. I can’t live like that.” She slid the ring of her finger  
and handed it back to him. “I won’t. I’m sorry.” She shot a glance at  
William then turned and ran from the room and from the house.

“Kara!” Lee called as he moved to run after her, but by the time he hit  
the door, her car was already gone. Lee stopped in the front door way  
just as his father came up behind him, shaking his head. Lee looked down  
at the ring on his hand, shoved it into his pocket and walked out of his  
father’s house. William watched him leave, then closed the door, sat  
down, and let the tears finally come.

/(A year later – Colonial Academy)/

Kara Thrace sat at her desk grading reports from her second year  
students. This was the only part of her job that she hated. She loved  
being in the air with them, but the written work was just as important  
as the flying. She had just put her head down on her desk when the  
classroom door opened. She looked up to see a couple of men in suits and  
frowned.

“Can I help you, guys?” Before they could answer, President Lee Adama  
walked into the room, followed by two more men in suits; his security  
detail. Kara stood slowly and walked around the front of her desk. She  
hadn’t seen Lee in almost nine months now, since Gaius Baltar was killed  
in a flying accident. Chief Tyrol was now raising his daughter. Kara  
swallowed past the lump in her throat and her gaze met Lee’s.

“Guys, the room is obviously secure. Could you wait outside, please?”  
The security detail didn’t look happy but did as they were told. When  
Lee looked back at Kara, she could see that his eyes were red, like he’d  
been crying. She moved from the desk over to him quickly.

“Lee, what is it? What’s happened?” Lee choked back the tears and Kara  
pulled him into her arms. He dropped his head on her shoulder and she  
let him cry. “Shh,” she whispered to him softly.

“He wants to see you,” he whispered through the tears. Kara frowned and  
stepped back from Lee who met her gaze through his tears. “Dad. He wants  
to see you.”

“Oh gods…” Kara whispered, realization finally sinking in. She grabbed  
her jacket and turned back to Lee. “Let’s go.” Lee nodded and they  
walked out of the classroom together. They left the Academy and walked  
across the open field towards the hospital, the security detail  
following close at hand. The entered the hospital and rode the elevator  
in silence. They walked along the corridor and just as they reached the  
door, Lee took Kara’s hand in his and she looked up at him.

“For whatever it’s worth, Kara, I never meant for things to end between  
us like they did.” Kara nodded slowly and slid her free hand along the  
side of his face.

“I know, Lee. I know.” Lee nodded and pushed open the door to his  
father’s room. Kara entered first and felt her chest and throat tighten  
as she saw William Adama lying on the hospital bed. She watched him open  
his eyes as Lee came in behind her and closed the door. She couldn’t  
believe she’d stayed away from either of them for so long. William held  
his hand out to her and Kara took it, sitting on the edge of his bed.

“Whaddya hear, Starbuck?” Kara smiled though there were unshed tears in  
her eyes.

“Nothin’ but the rain, Sir.”

“Then grab your gun and bring in the cat.”

“Boom, boom, boom.” Adama smiled through the pain he was feeling as Lee  
sat on his other side and took that hand in his as well.

“Well, so this is what I have to do to get you both in the same room  
with me again, hmm?” Kara choked back the tears and brought his hand up  
to her lips, kissing it softly.

“Listen, old man, this isn’t the way to do things, okay? You’re not  
supposed to be lying down on the job. Who’s keeping Tigh in line  
anyway?” As if on cue, there was a knock at the door and then it opened  
slowly. Kara chuckled softly. “Speak of the devil,” she whispered then  
moved so Adama could see Tigh as he entered the room.

“You know, if you wanted to stay in bed all day, Bill, I’m sure we could  
have set one or two up on Galactica for you.” Adama chuckled but only  
for a brief moment as Tigh walked over and stood on Kara’s side of the  
bed; a movement that didn’t go unnoticed by Lee or his father.

“If you’re down here, who’s watching my ship, old man?” Tigh laughed  
quietly.

“Don’t worry about your ship, Bill. I’m letting Gaeda do most of the  
work these days. He’s turned into a good XO.” Adama nodded then coughed  
and his face screwed up in pain.

“Dad?” Lee asked a little shakily. Adama shook his head and relaxed, his  
grip still tight in Kara’s hand. After a moment, that, too, relaxed and  
he closed his eyes.

“It’s nice to have my family here,” he said quietly. Kara felt the tears  
in her eyes finally break free and fall down her face. He opened his  
eyes and looked at Lee. “We’ve argued about your choices, Son, but I  
hope you know I’m proud of you.” Lee nodded slowly and bent down to hug  
his father. Adama kissed him on the forehead then released him. “I love  
you, Son.”

“I know, Dad. Love you too.” When Adama looked away, Lee felt the tears  
begin to fall down his face. Adama’s gaze focused on Kara.

“You’ve always been a daughter to me, Kara. Ever since that first time  
you came home with the boys you’ve belonged to me, to us. Don’t you ever  
forget that, understand?”

“Yes, Sir,” she whispered through the tears as she leaned down to kiss  
him on the cheek. He wrapped his arms around her and held her for a  
moment then let her go.

“You keep my son in line when you can, hear me?” Kara nodded and tried  
to smile at him. “Nothin’ but the rain, Starbuck.”

“Yes, Sir. Nothin’ but the rain.” Adama turned his gaze to Saul.

“Can’t believe you’re standing next to Starbuck and the two of you  
haven’t even argued yet.” Saul looked at Kara then back at the old man.

“Let’s just say we’ve come to an understanding of sorts, hmm?” Adama  
chuckled and Kara released his hand so Saul could take it. “Listen to  
me, Bill. You let us take care of everything now, okay? You’ve done your  
job and you got us all home, safe, and you saved humanity. You let the  
Gods watch out for you now, you hear?” Adama nodded slowly.

“Take care of my family, Saul.” Saul nodded and blinked back the tears  
in his eyes.

“I always have,” he answered quietly. Adama closed his eyes just as the  
heart monitor began a slow and steady beep that finally ended in a flat  
line. Two nurses came in the room but William Adama had made sure that  
no one would keep him on life support. One of the nurses turned off the  
machines while the other drew the sheet up over the Admiral’s face. Saul  
put an arm around Kara’s shoulders and helped her stand and move away  
from the bed as Lee came around on their other side. The three of them  
walked out of the room and into the hallway where Lee’s security detail  
still remained. Kara turned to Lee and he wrapped his arms around her  
and the two of them stood there and cried for the father they had both  
lost that afternoon. Saul stood with them, mourning the loss of the only  
man he’d ever called his truest friend.

/(Present – Kobol City)/

We could go sit on the back porch, relax

/*Talk about anything, it doesn’t matter*/

/*I’ll be courageous if you can pretend*/

/*That you’ve forgiven me…*/

“Kara, are you there?” Kara stared at the phone in her hand for a moment  
before blinking back the memories and finding her voice once again.

“Yeah, Lee, I’m here. Sorry. You caught me by surprise. How are you?”  
She sat down on the stool at the counter; phone in hand, brushing a lock  
of blond hair out of her face as she did so.

“I’m good, Kara. Real good. I’m back in Kobol City again for a few weeks  
and figured it was time to try and track you down, see how you’re doing,  
how life is going for you and all.” Kara nodded slowly.

“It’s been two years, Lee. Life has changed; a lot. Commander Tigh  
passed away about six months ago. He was buried next to your father.”

“I’m sorry I missed the funeral. I got a missive about his death but I  
was halfway back from Caprica when it came. I was supposed to head to  
Phoenicia before coming home so I knew I wouldn’t make it back in time  
for the funeral. I suppose I should have at least called you.”

“It’s okay. We managed to get everything taken care of.” She heard the  
pause on the other end of the line and wondered what he was thinking.

“We?” Ah… so he had caught that after all. Kara sighed softly.

“Karl and I. We took care of the funeral arrangements and the burial.”

“Karl… you mean Helo?” Kara heard the surprise in Lee’s voice.

“Yes, Helo. You know Connor turned seven just last week. Chief was here  
along with Lilly who is also seven now. Boxy is starting at the Academy  
this fall and has all the makings of becoming a great pilot.”

“Kara,” Lee began quietly and Kara sighed softly.

“I know, Lee. It’s been two years today. I went to the cemetery this  
morning before Karl left for the Academy. He’s teaching my classes right  
now until the end of the semester. Connor’s in school with Lilly.”

“Why aren’t you teaching, Kara?”

“They don’t let you fly when you’re pregnant, Lee.” She heard the intake  
of breath on the other end of the phone and she sighed softly. “I’m due  
in two months. Karl and I got married right after you left Kobol City to  
start making the rounds of the other colonies.”

“I never knew…” came the soft reply. Kara felt tears in her eyes and  
blinked them away.

“I was never a match for the Adama men, Lee. You know that. There’s  
something in them that just can’t be tamed.” She’d said it with softness  
in her voice that Lee had never heard before. She wasn’t blaming him.  
She just wanted him to understand. “Believe it or not, Saul is the one  
who gave me away.”

“Dad always tired to tell you that he was a good guy,” Lee answered  
quietly. “Well, listen. I didn’t mean to bother you this morning. I just  
wanted to call and check up on you. I’m going out to the cemetery and  
then head into the office for a while. I’ll be planet-side from now  
until the end of my term for the most part.” Kara nodded slowly,  
listening to his words.

“Can I call you… when the baby arrives?” she asked hopefully. She could  
almost see his smile through the phone.

“I’d like that, Kara. I’d like that a lot. Take care of yourself and  
tell Helo I said he’d better take care of you or he’ll have me to deal  
with. Bye, Kara.”

“Bye, Lee.”

Cause I don’t know you anymore

/*I don’t recognize this place*/

/*The picture frames have changed and so has your name*/

/*We don’t talk much anymore*/

/*We keep running from the pain*/

/*But what I wouldn’t give to see your face again…*/

 


End file.
